THE Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council is proposing to construct and operate an immobilisation plant to treat class v air pollution control residue (APCr) generated from offsite waste to energy plants.

It is also proposing to construct a dedicated class IV monocell for disposal of the treated APCr, at the Red Hill waste management facility.

According to documentation on the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) website the proposed immobilisation plant will treat APCr to meet class IV standards suitable for disposal into class IV landfills.

The existing class IV stage 2 landfill waste disposal cell will be used until the dedicated class IV monocell has been constructed.

The proposal document said the class IV APCr monocell would be progressively rehabilitated in accordance with a closure plan to be approved by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.

“Following decommissioning of the immobilisation plant, the area will be rehabilitated in accordance with any relevant approval requirements,’’ the document said.

“Commissioning of the immobilisation plant will be undertaken by the design and construct contractor.

“A commissioning plan will be prepared during the detailed design phase of the project.

“Commissioning is not relevant to the class IV APCr monocell.

“Decommissioning of the immobilisation plant will be undertaken in 25+ years’ time by an experienced and qualified contractor.

“A decommissioning plan will be prepared prior to commissioning.

“Capping of the class IV APCr monocell will be undertaken when full (approximately three to five years).’’

Toxics Free Australia (TFA) believes the project is better described as a project to build and operate a class 5 hazardous waste processing facility and associated class 4 disposal cell.

TFA chair Jane Bremmer said the project should have been described as a prescribed premises (part 1. high risk) project requiring the proponent to provide associated assessments and reports for the EPA to be able to adequately assess the project for both a works approval and license under the WA Environmental Protection Act 1986.